Indrajit Banerjee – Sitar Maestro & Educator
Indrajit Banerjee is widely recognized as one of the foremost exponents of the Maihar Gharana. Hailing from a distinguished musical lineage, he was born into a family renowned for its exceptional contributions to Hindustani classical music. His musical journey has been shaped by the guidance and inspiration of numerous celebrated artists, including his guru Pandit Kartick Kumar (sitar), Pandit Barun Kumar Pal (Hamsa Veena), Niladri Kumar, Partho Das (sitar), and Aparna Roy (surbahar).
Indrajit’s earliest inspiration came from his mother, Manju Banerjee, herself a sitarist and disciple of the legendary Pandit Nikhil Banerjee, and later, Santosh Banerjee. His initial training began under his maternal grandfather, Bankim Kumar Pal, a disciple of Ustad Inayat Khan and Birendra Kishore Roy Chowdhury (Kochi Babu). He then studied under Pandit Manilal Nag of the Bishnupur Gharana, before undertaking intensive training with his uncle, Pandit Kartick Kumar, a senior disciple of Pandit Ravi Shankar.
This rich and diverse musical education laid a deep foundation for Indrajit’s artistry—blending tradition with creative individuality. Known for his technical virtuosity, sensitive expression, and distinctive touch on the sitar, Indrajit has earned respect across both Indian and global music communities.
Honors & Recognitions
- Gokul Nag Memorial Medal (1987) – Bangiya Sangeet Parishad, West Bengal
- Sur Mani (1990) – Sur Singar Samsad, Mumbai
- Avinav Kala Samman (1997) – Avinav Kala Parishad, Bhopal
- Parangotsava Veteran Artist Recognition (2007) – Mysore, Karnataka
- SAPNA Award for Exceptional Contribution (2014) – Illinois, USA
- Tech World Music Award for Excellence in Sitar (2017) – Reno, Nevada
- South Asian Distinguished Artist Hall of Fame (2019) – USA
Indrajit is an A-Grade artist of All India Radio and Doordarshan (National Television). He is also an empaneled artist with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and has served as a judge for All India Radio, Kolkata.
Global Performances & Collaborations
Over the past two decades, Indrajit has toured extensively as a solo sitarist across the UK, Europe, Caribbean Islands, Lebanon, Hawaii, Alaska, Costa Rica, Brazil, and Canada. He has collaborated with a range of international artists, including:
- Sting (Channel V Awards)
- Steve Smith, Yaron Herman, Abbos Kosimov
- Jeff Coffin, Stefan Lessard (bass), Carter Beauford (drums)
- Fareed Haque, Goodman Theatre (Sherman Brothers productions)
His discography includes multiple solo albums, and he has been featured on numerous collaborative projects. His music is available for purchase on iTunes and CD Baby, and can be streamed on Spotify, Pandora, Last.fm, and more.
Educator & Composer
Now based in Austin, Texas, Indrajit is the founder and director of the Antara School of Indian Classical Music, where he teaches sitar to students around the world. His instructional DVDs and online lessons are highly regarded for their clarity and depth.
In addition to performance and teaching, Indrajit is an accomplished composer and arranger, contributing music to various albums and award-winning documentary films.